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CONTACT

Jon Salfield, 11 Mitchell Hill Terrace, Truro, TR1 1HY

01872 261303,

Cutting Edge Sport

Many readers won’t realise that based in the heart of Cornwall is one of the UK’s most influential and successful fencing clubs. Truro Fencing Club boasts dozens of internationals fencers, coaches of the highest calibre, and the UK’s largest fencing development programme, which has given over 3500 participants the chance to try out the sport since September 2007.

The club was founded in 1970 by three enthusiasts, Andrew MacDonald, Colin Ellis and Gwynedd Haslock. Active locally, regionally and nationally for over 25 years, the club began to transform into a national superpower with the arrival of Richard Bonehill in the late 1980s, who began coaching a young fencer, Jon Salfield. By the late 1990s Jon and Richard were an experienced team, and in 2000 put in place a radical development programme, restructuring the club, improving standards of coaching and training and obtaining funding for equipment and development. Within 12 months the club had its first Great Britain international youth fencer, and 8 years on more than 30 Truro fencers have represented their country, with medals at World Cup, European Championship and Commonwealth level.

The sport of fencing has been in every modern Olympics games since 1896, and in its modern form has three disciplines: foil, epee and sabre. Truro Fencing Club offers coaching in all three weapons, and most beginners will find that one of the three disciplines appeals more to them, and will specialise in that weapon. Epee is the most thoughtful and cagey weapon, foil the most technical and varied, sabre the fastest and most flamboyant. Fencing is now a very safe and high-tech sport, using electronic scoring systems, and safety equipment tested to the highest standards.

Fencing is a great sport for an all-round cardio workout, as well as being a good way to tone and strengthen the lower body. The focus required during the session is a great way to improve discipline and concentration, and the sport naturally develops co-ordination, agility, balance and fast reactions. Truro Fencing Club caters for all levels – there are regular 5-week beginners and improvers courses (adults and children), a mini-fence group for 5-7 year-olds, using the latest super-safe plastic swords and masks, club nights for intermediate and higher standard fencers, and squad training for the serious competitor. Fencing is surprisingly cheap to access, with club sessions working out at between £3 and £5 per night for adults, and even less for Under 16s. Membership includes use of all the kit, lessons and footwork sessions.

Head Coach, Jon Salfield, leads an excellent stable of seven coaches and fencing supervisors, all of whom are current or former GB internationals. The club boasts an extraordinary standard of fencer, including the British Number one at Under 19, Under 18, Under 17, Under 12, Under 11 and Under 10 level. The club won no less than 6 Commonwealth medals at the 2006 games, and trains 4 of the British Men’s Top 20 Senior sabreurs, and 3 of the British top 20 Women’s Senior sabreurs. The club won silver at the British men’s and women’s team sabre championships in 2007, and has begun to dominate in the youth sabre scene in Britain. The club had 7 fencers selected for the 2007 Kenten Youth International Sabre in Germany, and in every category the Truro’s youngsters were the highest-performing British competitors.

Truro Fencing Club also runs a number of tournaments, including national cadet and youth ranking events, the famous Duel on the Beach held at Perranporth every August, and the UK’s most prestigious individual tournament, the Advalus Pro Sabre. The boom in Cornish fencing has led the club’s President and former Head Coach, Richard Bonehill, to found a charity, TFC Gold, dedicated to building a fencing centre for Cornwall which will provide world-class training 7-days-a-week, and be the envy of world fencing. With a current membership of over 70 at the main club, and TFC satellite clubs training more than 300 other children at schools in Helston, Camborne, Penryn, St Stephen, Devoran, Mawnan, Perranarworthal and Newquay, as well as 4 schools in Truro, this is one Cornish club that can truly be said to be at the cutting edge of its sport.

Truro Fencing Club runs sessions on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. To enrol on the club’s next Beginners Course, Intermediate Course or Mini-fence group, visit www.trurofencing.co.uk. For any other information visit the website, or email

There are 4 other clubs in the county: Bude Fencing Club, Phoenix Fencing Club (Helston), Cornwall College Fencing Club and Penzance Fencing Club. Contact details of clubs registered with the national governing body can be found at www.britishfencing.com